More than 60 jobs going at Callaghan Innovation
Thursday, 13 February 2025
More than 60 Callaghan Innovation employees have been told their jobs will be disestablished at the soon-to-be dismantled agency, their union says.
Public Service Association acting national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said on Wednesday 63 workers were told their roles were being made redundant.
That included 16 commercialisation roles, 14 scientists and engineers, six Māori Innovation roles, and others working in data, digital, product design, risk and audit, marketing, government engagement and technical support, Fitzsimons said.
Last month Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the dismantling of Callaghan Innovation (CI) and the distilling of seven Crown Research Institutes into three “Public Research Organisations (PRO)”.
The “most important” functions of CI would be redistributed across other parts of the science, innovation and technology system.
CI’s last annual report had 388 employees for the 2023/24 year.
A CI spokesperson confirmed the “consultation process for phase one of its disestablishment programme has begun affecting 63 roles across the organisation”.
“The roles affected are those related to activities that can either cease immediately or where the level of work will significantly decrease. Ongoing work will be in roles focused on the transfer of functions that will be continued at a different entity and the disestablishment of the organisation.”
Fitzsimons said “the Minister [Shane Reti] must treat Callaghan Innovation staff with dignity and respect and find ways to keep these highly skilled staff in New Zealand. Otherwise, we’ll lose more people offshore while New Zealand becomes a less attractive place to be a scientist”.
'How will that help the Government’s economic growth agenda?“
Science and Innovation Minister Shane Reti said some of CI’s functions would be transferred to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment or the new PRO.
“Some functions will not be transferred, so an in principle decision has been made for the funding to be reallocated.
“I understand that in this round of change, the Board of Callaghan Innovation has considered roles that aren’t currently working on customer contracts.”
Earlier, Reti said that “Callaghan Innovation was spread too thin across many conflicting functions – it’s struggled to work to a clear focused purpose”.
“To better support and incentivise innovation for economic growth, Callaghan Innovation will be disestablished and its most important functions will be transferred to other parts of the science, technology and innovation system.
“There is significant work ahead to manage the disestablishment of Callaghan Innovation. I understand that they are working with their staff to manage the transition.
“It’s too early to say how many staff will be transferred or made redundant. While I expect to be kept up to date at key decision points, this will be managed at an operational level.”
Additional reporting from Kim Griggs